By EVM Staff

As part of its centennial celebration, the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation has granted $600,000 to Genesee County Habitat for Humanity to support projects that Flint residents propose and lead to strengthen their neighborhoods.

According to a Mott Foundation press release on January 20, 2026, “the Mott Foundation Centennial Neighborhood Improvement Initiative” is a collaboration between Habitat for Humanity and the Neighborhood Engagement Hub (NEH). The Mott Foundation’s grant will provide funding of up to $20,000 for individual neighborhood projects, as well as support for Habitat and NEH to help residents and community groups in their efforts under the initiative.

The release notes that the goal of the initiative is “to implement high-impact, neighborhood-designed projects that create a positive, lasting and visible change in the physical landscape of Flint neighborhoods” which “includes projects that help activate, improve or enhance a public outdoor space.”

The news release also offered high-level information and guidelines for applying to Habitat by the Feb. 27 deadline, including:

  • Project funding is limited to projects within the City of Flint boundaries.
  • Projects must be neighborhood specific.
  • Planning groups must consist of neighborhood residents and stakeholders, and the project must take place in the same neighborhood as the group.
  • Proposed projects cannot be located on private property.
  • All proposed projects must be planned and led by a group of at least five unrelated community members of the neighborhood, and at least three of the lead group members must live in the neighborhood.

“A neighborhood is more than just where people live. It’s where community is formed. It’s where friends gather, children play and residents support one another,” said Ridgway White, president and CEO of the Mott Foundation, in a provided statement. “Residents have told us time and time again that strengthening neighborhoods is a priority for them. We’re excited to see what ideas they come up with to make a difference in their neighborhoods.”

The initiative builds on Habitat’s existing Flint BRAND program, which was launched in 2016 and has been supported by the Mott Foundation since 2017. The new initiative will replace that program for 2026, according to the press release.

“The BRAND program is built on a simple belief: When residents lead, neighborhoods thrive,” said Tom Hutchison, Genesee County Habitat for Humanity Executive Director. He added that the grant money will go toward “empowering residents to bring their ideas to life, strengthen community pride and continue building the Flint we all know is possible.”

For his part, Tom Wyatt, NEH Executive Director, said: “We are ecstatic to see that the BRAND program is included in the Mott Foundation’s centennial, and we look forward to supporting the program and its participants.”

Interested Flint residents are invited to attend one of three informational sessions at NEH, located at 3216 Martin Luther King Ave. to learn more about the initiative and application process. Staff members from NEH and Habitat will be available to answer questions, brainstorm neighborhood improvement projects, and support the application process.

The sessions are scheduled for Monday, Jan. 26 at 10 a.m; Wednesday, Jan. 28 at 2 p.m.; and Friday, Jan. 30 at 10 a.m.

The Mott Foundation press release specifies that groups interested in applying for a grant or attending one of the three information sessions need to contact NEH staff to schedule a consultation or confirm attendance. To do so, residents can call 810-584-5022 or email michelle@nehflint.org to set up a meeting.